


Do You Love Me?

by tobito17



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-09 15:35:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11671983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tobito17/pseuds/tobito17
Summary: Tobin and Christen have been separated for a couple years and have had little contact since their separation. So when Tobin shows up to Christen's house unannounced and drunk at three in the morning, everything changes.





	1. You Need to Go

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this as a one shot. But would you guys like to see more of this? I just had the idea in my head. Thanks for reading. Comments and feedback welcome!
> 
> Tumblr: tobito-17

Three in the morning in Southern California. For the past couple of nights, it was hard to find a cloud in the sky, revealing the beautiful stars that lit up the Los Angeles sky. Tonight, however, the sky was covered in clouds, letting down a deluge that has lasted all day. The only sound that filled the air beside the raindrops was the crashing waves of the ocean. Everyone in the Press household was asleep. Christen was in her bedroom while Morena and Khaleesi were asleep in the living room. As Christen was lying down in bed, she thought she heard a knock on the door. She wasn’t completely sure as she was falling in and out of sleep. The dark haired woman  glanced at the clock _3:05 A.M. Who the hell could that be?_ Christen  groaned and rolled over to face the window. Just as she was drifting back to sleep, she heard her two dogs barking.

 

“What the hell?”

 

Christen grabbed a shirt and a pair of shorts as she made her way out of her room. Once she was downstairs, she saw the two dogs at the door wagging their tails furiously and barking with more intensity.

 

“Girls, stop.”

 

Listening to Christen's command, Morena and Khaleesi stopped. The forward pointed back to their beds in the corner of the room.

 

“Morena, Khaleesi, bed.”

 

On cue, the dogs made their way to their corner and laid down. Before she opened the door, she looked through the peephole to see who it was. Christen was expecting a stranger, but couldn't believe who was standing on her doorstep. Frozen to the spot, Christen braced herself and finally opened the door. The figure in front of her spoke.

 

“Chris.”

 

“T-T-Tobin?!”

 

Christen took in the woman in front of her. She was drenched from the rain that continued to fall throughout the night. There was also a strong smell of alcohol radiating from the older woman. Before Christen could study her more, Tobin spoke up again.

 

“Christen, I miss you.”

 

“Are you drunk,” the tanned woman slipped out.

 

She didn't mean to say it aloud, just one of the thoughts swirling around in her head. She could already tell from the sway of the woman that she was.

 

“Maybe a little,” Tobin giggled. Christen hesitated.

 

“Tobin come on, we have to get you dry and into some warm clothes.”

 

She grabbed Tobin's arm and dragged her inside. Even though she's soaking wet, she allowed Tobin to lie down on the couch, making a mental note to dry it later on.

 

“Alright Tobin, I'm gonna run upstairs and grab somethings. I'll be right back, ok?”

 

All she got was a nod and she proceeded upstairs to her bedroom. Christen grabbed a change of clothes, a towel, and a blanket for the woman downstairs. As she approached the living room, she heard chatter. She smiled when she saw Tobin playing with Morena and Khaleesi.

 

“C’mon Morena roll over.”

 

She tilted her head to the side to help Morena understand her command, but the dog just tilted her head as well.

 

“No Morena, roll over.”

 

The dog finally understood Tobin's command and rolled over. This prompted Khaleesi to also roll over, making Tobin chuckle.

 

“Good girls.”

 

“It's amazing that after all this time they still listen to you.”

 

Tobin jumped a little, unaware of Christen’s presence, rubbing the back of her neck.

 

“Well, it's not like they don't remember me, Chris. We were together for more than 5 years.”

 

Not liking where the conversation was headed, Christen was quick to change the subject.

 

“Uhm, so here are some clothes and a towel. You should clean yourself off from all the rain. The shower’s down the hall.”

 

Tobin still hadn't moved from her spot on the couch.

 

“Tobin?”

 

“Yes, Chris?”

 

“Did you hear me?”

 

“Yeah, it's just that, could you maybe come join me in the shower?”

 

Seeing the mortified look on Christen face was enough to send Tobin into a fit of laughter. Tobin finally got up off the couch and made her way towards Christen’s direction, still swaying a little.

 

“Chris you should have seen the look on your face, priceless.”

 

The two made their way down the hall and Christen allowed Tobin to clean herself up in private. After about 20 minutes, Tobin emerged from the bathroom, wearing the clothes Christen gave her and her wet hair pushed to the side. When Christen looked over and caught a glimpse of Tobin, she swore she lost her breath. Tobin was only wearing a pair of Nike shorts and a tank top, but Christen thought she looked so sexy. She stared at a few drops of water that trailed down Tobin’s muscular arms and legs. Christen unconsciously licked her lips and looked at Tobin up and down. Even though she’s drunk, Tobin still picked up on this.

 

“Damn Press, I see you eye-fucking me from over there,” she slurred with a smirk.

 

Growing in confidence, Tobin walked up to Christen and wrapped her arms around the girl's waist, also pushing her front into Christen’s. Christen would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the contact. She loved the way Tobin felt against her.  When Tobin started leaning in, Christen backed away.

 

“Tobin, you know we can't do this.”

 

Tobin grabbed Chris again and tried to bring her closer. Christen squirmed out of her grasp.

 

“Tobin, you need to go.”

 

“Go where Chris, it's raining outside, I'm drunk, how can you throw me out like that? I just want a place to stay for the night. That’s all I'm asking.”

 

The sadness in Tobin’s voice struck a cord in Christen. She felt horrible for even suggesting to throw her out.

 

“I'm sorry, just lay down on the couch ok?”

  
Tobin simply nodded as Christen put the blanket over her. Within a matter of minutes, Tobin was out like a light. She let's out little snores which made Christen smile. She headed upstairs and slipped back into bed, falling asleep quickly.


	2. Good Luck Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A couple of flashbacks to give context into their backgrounds and explain the current situation a little bit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's chapter 2. It's very angsty so be warned lol. Next chapter won't be as angsty, I promise. Enjoy and thanks for reading! Comments and feedback welcome!
> 
> Tumblr: tobito-17

_Flashback_

 

“Tobin!! Get your ass down here now!”

 

Tobin slowly trudged down the stairs, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She groaned at her wife’s yelling, already tired of what was gonna come throughout the day. Once she reached the bottom of the stairs, she met the look on Christen’s face, a combination of pissed off and disbelief.

 

“Tobin!!”

 

“What is it Christen?”

 

The dark haired woman held her hands out, waiting for Tobin to register what she was thinking. After she didn’t respond, Christen let out a frustrated sigh.

 

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me right? Tobin, you were supposed to take the girls to my mom this morning. I was late for our team meeting.”

 

“Wait, what time is it?”

 

“It’s three in the afternoon.” The brunette muttered a loud _fuck_ knowing how badly she messed up already. She was disappointed in herself for failing to do a simple task like taking her girls to her mother-in-law.

 

The National Team was headed to the 2027 World Cup in Australia and they only had a week or so before it was time to leave the country. Christen’s family was also getting ready to head to Australia and would take the couple’s two kids with them. Christen advised the brunette to wait until after the group stages to head over the Pacific with her family, after much arguing, not wanting her wife to put too much stress on her right leg.

 

“Chris, I’m so sorry.”

 

“Tobs, how many times are you going to keep messing up and not taking responsibility? At one point can’t you just say ‘enough’? It’s starting to get a little pathetic.”

 

“Christen, I don’t want to go through this again. And I said I’m sorry already.” Christen groaned exasperatedly.

 

“See, there you go again. You can say sorry as many times as you want but it means shit. These are your children we’re talking about, _our_ children and you keep neglecting them and me. I’m so tired of this, can you give a fuck about anyone other than yourself?” The forward walked up to Tobin and smelled a faint scent of liquor on her breath. “And you’ve been drinking again, what a shock. It just seems like you try to beat your personal record of how early you drink.”

 

“I’m just trying to take the edge off cause I knew you would find something to bitch about as always.”

 

“You know what Tobin, forget it. It’s not important. Your kids aren’t important. Anyways, I gonna start packing. Don’t bother me please.” Christen walked upstairs not waiting for her spouse to respond.

 

Tobin dragged her hands down her face, frustrated at the turn in the conversation.

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it. You know where to find me.”

 

Tobin made her way upstairs after Christen was surely in their bedroom. She continued down the hall until she reached the room at the end. It had a _Do Not Enter_ sticker posted on the front. She opened the door and turned on the light. On the wall she was facing, it had a row of six jerseys in glass cases. From left to right the jerseys were from the 2012 Olympics, 2015 WC, 2019 WC, 2020 Olympics, 2023 WC, and the jersey of her last game, July 25th 2026 against Chile where they won 3-2. The left wall featured all of her achievements, stemming from middle school. There was barely any space left on the wall. The right wall had the various news articles she got her hands on that talked about her injury. She grabbed a beer from the mini fridge she had hidden from Christen and sat in the middle of the floor and closed her eyes, trying to relax herself and reminisce about her past.

 

_Flashback within a flashback_

 

The stadium in downtown Santiago was shaking, literally. The crowd of 60,000+ were all on their feet, sending vibrations throughout the stadium floors. They were eagerly awaiting the return of their Chilean players.  It was a pretty cold winter night in  the Southern hemisphere. It started raining towards the end of the half, but only small showers. There was a small but strong contingent of about 5,000 American supporters, but they were occasionally drowned out. Some of the US players were beginning to warm up in the tunnel before heading to  the field. Christen and Tobin were the last ones to leave the locker room.

 

“Hey Tobs.” The midfielder looked over her shoulder to see Christen pulling her jersey back over her head. “I just wanted to say you're doing great out there, as always.”

 

“Aww, thanks babe. It's hostile out there isn't it? It always feels like the crowd is about to jump on us.”

 

“Yes, but it makes everything so exciting.” The dark haired woman began walking towards the exit until Tobin stopped her.

 

“You're forgetting something.”

 

“Of course, our good luck kiss.” Christen smiled, leaned in and placed a sweet, gentle kiss on her wife’s lips. When she pulled away she saw the biggest smile on Tobin’s face. “C’mon superstar, we have a game to win.”

 

The couple returned to the field, doing their warm ups, and getting ready for the second half. The US was down 2-1 at the half after Chile scored off a well-taken free kick and a rocket from 25 yards out. The gals weren’t doing too well in the first half, losing a lot of possession and not being able to sustain an effective attack.

 

* * *

 

Fast forward to the 65th minute. The team was playing significantly better and had pulled back a goal, scored by Moe. Tobin had been dominating the left flank, dribbling past defenders and getting into the attack every chance she could. A Chilean player pinged a ball from the right flank over towards the left side of the pitch. Tobin backed up to intercept the ball, not realizing she was headed for the promo boards. She jumped in the air and before she knew it, the back of her legs hit the boards, sending her backwards over the promo boards, and landing harshly on the ground in a heap. It took her a few seconds to register where the pain was coming from and then she quickly grabbed her right hip. The pain became more and more unbearable by the second and she let out a painful scream. Teammates and Chilean players alike surrounded her. Christen came sprinting to Tobin’s position after seeing the whole thing unfold before her eyes. The forward bent down immediately and tried to console her wife who was clearly in pain.

 

“Tobin, what's wrong? What hurts baby,” Christen questioned through tears and sniffles. Tobin clutched the back of her right thigh.

 

“It's my hip, but it's also my whole leg. Christen it hurts so much.” Tobin's voice was strained which only made Christen cry more. She didn't want to rub the affected area, so she just rubbed her arm to calm her down.

 

“Ok, it's gonna be alright babe. The medical staff is gonna take care of you ok?” Tobin nodded. “And then they'll take you to the hospital if need be. Don't worry too much.”

  
The medical staff arrived seconds later to take care of the brunette. She was clearly not able to walk so they stretchered her off the field. Once they got her back in the locker room, the staff determined that Tobin needed to go to the hospital so they could get a better idea of her injury. After all the x-rays and tests, the doctors determined that she had shattered the bone running from her foot up to her hip due to impact of the collision with the ground. They didn't know exactly how bad the extent of the  injury was going to be, but it seemed unlikely that she could continue playing.  Tobin refused to accept that diagnosis and insisted that they get an opinion from the team doctors back in the US. Tobin prayed that the injury wasn't so severe and that she could just be out for a few months, but her greatest fears were realized. It would be near impossible to continue playing with the damage she suffered. At first it was hard to accept this new reality, naturally, but the midfielder was determined to prove everyone wrong and return back to the game she loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr: tobito-17


	3. This is Not Normal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christen wakes up and finds Tobin chatting with their kids in the kitchen. Considering the situation, she sees where it goes. Everything seems to be ok until a certain someone arrives at their door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's almost been 2 months guys. But here it is. This chapter is pt 1/2. I can't think of the second part yet but wanted to get this out. Thanks for reading. I hope you all enjoy!

Christen was woken up to the sweet scent of maple syrup and the crackling of presumably bacon cooking on the stove. One part of her was relieved that she didn’t have to put together breakfast, but then she slowly realized that someone else was in her house. _Oh my God, the girls. I swear if something happened to them._ The dark haired woman pulled herself from her thoughts and ran out of her room and towards the stairs, fumbling to put on some shorts along the way. As she stumbled down the stairs, she heard tiny voices and a familiar low, relaxing drawl emanating from the kitchen.   _Oh right, Tobin’s here._ Christen relaxed a little knowing there wasn’t a stranger in her house, but still was a little uneasy.

 

“I can’t believe you think Ronaldo is better than Messi,” Tobin said incredulously. The forward poked her head around the corner to see the conversation that was going on between Tobin and the kids. She couldn’t help but smile.

 

“But Ronaldo is so much better. He’s the king of soccer. _Un rey_ as mama likes to say. Messi sucks.” The younger woman couldn’t contain her laughter anymore, watching the dumbfounded look on the midfielder’s face.

 

“Sofia! Oh, Tobin you’re having quite the face journey there.”

 

“Chris! What are you feeding these kids? Ronaldo?! They’re really your kids. Don’t make me pull out the powerpoint I made years ago.”

 

“ _You_ made? More like Allie and Sonnett made it and you took credit. Horribly made and inaccurate, I might add. ”

 

Tobin was about to retort, pointing her finger to the ceiling like she was going to make a point, but as she was going through it in her head, she realized how outlandish it really was. One night when Tobin, Allie, and Emily were drunk they decided to mess around and make a powerpoint detailing why Messi was the best soccer player in the world, exaggerating all of his stats and achievements to prove a point. When Christen found the trio, they sat her down and subjected her to a ten minute presentation full of giggling and incomplete thoughts. All she could do was laugh and nod along. _Scored 1000 goals in one season? They are seriously wasted._ The dark haired woman laughed to herself. Seeing them like this, professing their love for the Argentinian in their extremely loose state, was endearing to her. She loved those moments.

 

“Ok, that’s irrelevant.” Christen laughed. The midfielder tried to steer the conversation away from herself to save herself the embarrassment. “Uh so kids, do you want the rest of these pancakes or do want me to eat them all?” Tobin snickered as she started piling more pancakes onto her plate.

 

“Hey mom, you can’t do that,” Sofia laughed.

 

Tobin froze when she heard her oldest call her _mom._ It made sense that she would call her that, but it still felt weird because she wasn't around. She was trying her best to avoid an awkward situation, trying to act like everything was normal but knew that at this point,  it was inevitable. Nothing about this is _normal_. Christen shuffled to the stove and started to make her plate in silence, hoping their other daughter, Lily, wouldn’t notice.

 

* * *

 

  
As the four finished their breakfast, Tobin could hear shuffling by the front door. It was around nine in the morning on a Saturday, no one should be at the door.

 

“Uhh, is someone supposed to be here?”

 

“Yeah…” Christen blushed and that threw off the midfielder.

 

 _Oh, she’s seeing someone. Why are you surprised, have you seen her? She’s gorgeous. Or maybe she just forgot that someone was coming over?_ The lock on the door started to open and it actually scared Tobin for a half second. _Fuck, she is seeing someone._ She wasn’t mentally prepared to meet this woman, especially after the shenanigans last night. The door finally opened and she heard a strangely familiar voice.

 

“I’m home!” Tobin didn’t know why she got defensive all of a sudden, but she wanted to fight this person who came into the house,  _her house_.It pissed her off, but she couldn’t do anything with the kids there. “Hey babe, I missed you.” _Wait...no way. It can’t be. You’re kidding right?_

 

“Hey, Alex.”

 

The brunette bounced over and gave Christen a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek and Tobin almost passed out from everything that was going on. _Alex and Chris are fucking?! Oh my God, this has to be a dream._ The forward let go of the dark haired woman, crouching and opening her arms.

 

“Kiddos, I’m here. I missed you guys.”

 

The two young children ran into Alex’s arms and she squeezed them tight. Tobin cleared her throat to get the forward’s attention. When she looked up, she met a face that she hadn’t seen in years.

 

“To-Tobin?”

 

“That’s me.”

 

Christen could feel the tension building in the room again and wanted to diffuse it quickly.

  
“Girls, can you go upstairs and get ready to go to Aunt Ty’s house? The three of us adults need to have a talk.” They nodded and the two children ran up the stairs to get ready for their day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr: tobito-17


	4. Why Are You Here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobin, Alex, and Christen talk things out and clear up somethings. Essentially, a continuation of the last scene from the last chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, but now it's here! Thanks for the kudos and comments, I do appreciate them. I hope you enjoy and thanks for reading.

 

The three women stood in the living room, a good distance separating them from one another. Alex’s eyes were burrowing into Tobin, who was trying her best to make herself smaller. Christen was about to speak, but the other forward beat her to it.

 

“Why are you here?”

 

“Al, don’t.” Christen didn’t want there to be any unnecessary drama. It was already a stressful situation and she didn't need Alex to make it worse. The taller forward turned to face Christen.

 

“Chris, how can you just be fine with her walking back in after all these years? She doesn't deserve any of your kindness.”

 

The two women were taken aback by the brunette's statement, especially Tobin. She couldn't understand how one of her best friends could have turned on her. Sure, what she did to Christen and her family was wrong, but still, at the same time, Alex completely abandoned her without warning. When Tobin tried to reach out to her, she would never respond. It really hurt her to know that because of her actions, she had lost a friend.

 

“Alright, enough. We're gonna talk about this civilly.”

 

* * *

 

 

“So like, are you two a thing or something?” They both chuckled, which threw her completely off guard.

 

“No.”

 

“Yes.”

 

They both looked at each other with confused faces and for once, Tobin felt like she had the upper hand in the conversation.

 

“Well, it seems like there's a disconnect between you two. So what's the truth?” She believed Chris when she said no, but still had a doubt in her mind.

 

“Alex, don't lie there's nothing really between us.”

 

“Ehh, kinda.”

 

Tobin was more confused than before. The seemingly spiteful Alex was fine with resigning to the fact that Chris and her weren't a thing even though she might have thought they were.

 

“I ask again,  what's the truth?”

 

Alex sat up straighter on the couch and cleared her throat.

 

“All you need to know is that, I take care of her and she takes care of me.” She got up and started making her way to the stairs. “I'm gonna get ready myself.”

 

_I take care of her and she takes care of me? What does that even mean?_

 

Once Alex was out of earshot, Tobin spoke up.

 

 _“_ Chris, are you and Alex really a thing?”

 

“No Tobin. We aren't a thing. She was just messing with you. We've talked about this.” Tobin felt so relieved at that fact.

 

“But is there anything else to the relationship?” Tobin didn't mean to keep prodding, but she couldn't help it.

 

“I mean…” she turned away so Tobin couldn't see her cheeks becoming extremely red, “yeah we do _do things together_.”

 

“So y'all do have sex then?” Christen gasped at her bluntness, causing Tobin to laugh. She pushed her over, causing her to laugh even more.

 

“Tobin!”

 

“Am I right or am I right?”

 

“I mean yeah.”

 

“So this is more of a friends with benefits thing huh?”

 

“Well I guess if you have to put a name on it, then yes. But I promise you, it's nothing more than that. It just gets…lonely sometimes, you know?” Christen's demeanor completely changed and the smugness that Tobin had from earlier was completely erased. “And Alex is great company for my needs.” _I am a horrible fucking person_. Before she had a chance to respond, Alex came bouncing down the stairs with the two kids in tow.

 

“First one to the car gets ice cream for dessert.” The three of them rushed out the door, eliciting a chuckle from Christen.

 

“Alex is such a kid, I love it.” Christen went to the counter and grabbed her keys.  “Listen Tobs. I have to go and we'll be gone for a couple days but when we come back, maybe you can come back over. Uhh…” Christen took her phone from her front pocket and gave it to Tobin. “Put your number in.” Tobin obliged, typing her number into the phone and giving it back to Christen. “Great, I'll text you later.” Tobin nodded. “How are you gonna get home?” That thought totally escaped Tobin, probably due to the fact that this is her house, well _was_ her house.

 

“I'll just call Allie and tell her to get me.”

 

“Ok, perfect. And I hate to do this but you'd have to wait outside. I have to lock the house.”

“Oh, yeah I understand. “ Tobin grabbed her bag of wet clothes from the night before and exited her former home. Christen came right after, locking the top lock as she exited the house. Alex and the kids were already in the car, waiting for Chris to join them. The two women stood in awkward silence trying to see how to proceed. After a beat, Christen went in to hug Tobin who gladly returned it. From her spot in the driver's seat, Alex was a little uneasy from their interaction.

 

“I'll catch up with you later, Tobs.”

 

“See you later, Chris.” And with that Christen hopped into the passenger’s seat and they were headed down the road. Tobin finally called Allie and thirty minutes later, she arrived at the Press household.  Tobin dragged herself to the passenger’s side, got in and closed the door harder than she expected, wincing, knowing what Allie was gonna say.

 

“Hey, hey, hey. Watch it. If you get a scratch on this car, you're buying me a new Range Rover.”

 

“In your dreams.”

 

“So where to now, stud? I was thinking we could go…”

 

“Home, just take me home Allie. Drag Kelley with you to go shopping, I'm not feeling it today.” Allie was a little sullen that her shopping buddy wasn't in the mood, but understood the situation.

 

“Yeah ok, Tobin.” The rest of the car ride was dead silent with Allie focused on driving and Tobin looking out the window. As they pulled up to their house, Allie asked again “you sure you're alright, Harry?”

 

“I'll be fine.”

 

“Call if you need anything.”

 

Tobin left Allie's car, unlocked the door to their house, and headed upstairs to her bedroom. She saw Allie's car backing out of the driveway and down their street. She plopped onto her bed and started crying profusely.

 

* * *

 

 

**Flashback**

 

The house was dark and completely quiet, with the exception of a few sounds coming from the master bedroom. There was no sounds of kids playing, no laughter that usually filled the house, but muffled sobs. Tobin was kneeling beside the bed, while Christen sat at the edge of the bed.  Tobin tried her best to keep it together, but that's kinda hard to do when your wife just told you she doesn't want to be with you anymore. Tobin had never thought she'd be the one to beg someone to stay with them, a last ditch effort that she always felt was weak and pathetic. But here she was, in their bedroom literally on her knees, pleading with Christen not to leave.  This was the lowest she’s ever felt, but in this moment, she couldn't care less. She just couldn't let the love of her life get away so easily. She put one hand on Christen’s thigh, just to hold on to her. Chris thought about moving her hand, shaken by the sudden contact, but honestly didn't want Tobin to let go.

 

“Chris, please. Don't do this to us. Please. Think of Sof and Lil.”

 

“I know, Tobin. That's why I'm doing this.” When she finished that sentence, she couldn't even look at Tobin. For the longest while, she believed that they could work it out, but after months and months of nothing, the dark haired woman couldn't take it anymore. She didn't want to do this and still wasn't sure this was the right decision, but she committed herself already, it was hard to turn back now. “Let's not make this harder than it already is.” Christen had to choke out the last part of that sentence, her words catching in her throat. Her mind was in two places and she felt as defeated as Tobin.

 

“Chris, you can't leave me. I love you. Please, don't take them away from me.”

 

Christen just sat on the bed, unmoved and speechless. She had no response to the brunette's words. What could you possibly say in response?

 

“I'm going to bed now, we can talk more in the morning.” She didn't wait for Tobin to say anything, she just went under the covers and tried her best to hold it together. Tobin finally got up from her spot on the floor and made her way down the hallway. She peeked in her daughter’s bedroom to see the little girl, struggling to fall asleep. She smiled and made her way to her daughter's bed.

 

“Mommy, what's wrong?” Hearing her sweet, tiny voice almost made Tobin cry again.

 

“Nothing Sof. I was just checking on you. Would it be ok if I slept with you tonight?”

 

“But why aren't you sleeping with Mama?”

 

“I just wanted to sleep with you tonight, kiddo.”

 

“I understand, mama does take up a lot of space on the bed.” Tobin laughed, grateful for the break in heavy conversations.

 

“She does sometimes, but she can't help it.” The midfielder raised the comforter on the little girl's bed and tucked herself in next to her daughter who laughed. “What?”

 

“You're too big for the bed!”

 

“It's ok, sweetie. I'm just glad I'm here with you. Let's go to sleep.”

 

Several minutes later, the two were deep in sleep.

  
When Christen woke up, the first thing she noticed was that Tobin wasn't next to her. She remembered the conversation they had last night and realized she probably crashed on the couch. As she went down the hallway, she took a look in her daughter's room to see if the girl was still asleep. She had to do a double take when she saw her wife next to Sofia, completely knocked out. She spent a few minutes watching the two as they rested peacefully, wondered what the hell she had just done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr: Tobito-17


	5. Fucked Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long convos and what not

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No one noticed but I deleted two chapters. I wanted to just make things clear. Thanks for reading.

Tobin laid awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. She didn’t know exactly what time it was, but knew it was some ungodly hour. She was disappointed in herself, letting Christen invade all of her thoughts. All week, no matter what she was doing, she always connected her actions to how Christen would react to the situation. It was making her go insane. Sleep seemed impossible at the moment. She felt hot. She put her hand on her forehead, realizing that she had been sweating. It was too late to take a shower or rather she didn’t want to disturb her friends’ slumber. She quickly shedded her shirt and headed upstairs. She tiptoed down the hallway in search of one of the guest bedrooms that Kelley was occupying.

 

“Hey Kels.” The woman in bed didn’t move to the sound of her voice. “Kelley. Wake up!”  The brunette finally rolled over to face Tobin, squinting her eyes to make out her friend in front of her.

 

“Tobin, what's the problem? It's…”, Kelley checked the time on her phone, “one in the morning. And why aren’t you wearing a shirt?”

 

“I need to talk.” Kelley didn’t bother to ask anymore questions.

 

“Ok.”

 

//////////////

 

Kelley had driven Tobin and herself to their spot, despite the late hour. Their spot was a small dune located on a beach about 10 minutes away from Allie’s house. They hopped out of the Kelley’s Jeep and walked towards the shoreline.

 

“So what did you want to talk about,” Kelley asked.

 

“Christen.” Kelley laughed at the mention of her friend. Tobin rolled her eyes. “Well, you know how we met the other day? I want that to keep happening.”

 

“Tobin. I just don't want you to get hurt.”

 

“Well it's two years too late for that, isn't it?”

 

“I just mean, you're pretty emotional, even if you don't want to admit it. You're still in love with her, but I don't know how she feels. Who knows if she has the same feelings for you Tobs. I mean she is with Alex…”

 

“She told me herself that it wasn't a thing between her and Alex.” That came out way more defensive than Tobin intended. She didn't know if she was protecting Christen or trying to assure herself that it wasn't a thing. Kelley looked at her with sad eyes.

 

“People lie to not hurt people they care about. I don't have a doubt in my mind that Christen still loves you, but there is the possibility she's moved on. Two years is a long time. Time to think, reflect. Things change. I know that's not what you want to hear but I had to say it.”

 

“Even the kids have grown to Alex. They love her. They might as well not know who I am.” Tobin hung her head a little at the thought.

  


“Lil was so young, Tobin. I doubt she'd remember you. As for Sof, she still cares about you, man. Kids are kind souls, they forgive and forget more easily than us. She didn't forget about you.” A silence surrounded both women. They simply watched out at the crashing waves.

 

“Why did I go up for that ball?” Kelley turned her attention back to Tobin.

 

“What?”

 

“Why did I try to head that ball when I had a feeling it was already out of bounds? I was such an idiot.”

 

“Tobs, what are you talking about?”

 

“The Chile game in Santiago, remember? That was the night everything changed. Fuck. If I didn't try to head the ball, I wouldn't have shattered the bone in my leg, I would have went to the world cup, I wouldn't have had to retire early, and I'd still be with my family. I fucked everything up.” They remained silent for another few seconds before Kelley spoke up.

 

“You can't dwell on the past. All of that is done. You have to focus on how to fix the situation now.”

 

“Do you think I can win her back?”

 

“Absolutely. You're a smooth talker. How did you think you got her in the first place? You just gotta show her you mean it. And you can't fuck up again. Because I doubt she'd ever let you in again.”

 

“I understand.” Kelley got on her feet and pulled up Tobin so they could start making their way back home. The defender opened the car, getting into the driver's seat while Tobin got settled in the passenger's seat.

 

“You guys are just separated right, like nothing official?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I think that shows you that she still loves you. She could have easily went through with the divorce but she didn’t. Something held her back.”

 

“I guess. Do you think Alex and her are together?” Kelley let out a heavy sigh.

 

“I think you need to talk with her again. I think you just caught her off guard.”

 

“I can’t imagine them together. Alex was such a bitch. It reminds me of our days in the U20 camp when we first met.” Kelley laughed.

 

“You and Chris were so cute. But I always thought her and Alex might have been a thing. The signs were there. And the way Alex watched you two interact, haha, if looks could kill. That’s why it was a surprise when you and Alex became friends, best friends.”

 

“Yeah….”

 

 

_****Flashback****_

 

“Christen, ball,” Tobin called out as she pointed to the space in front of her.

 

The rain at this point was torrential but they were finishing up their drills. The field was reduced to puddles making the surface hard to utilize. This was the last play they were running for the day.

 

It was a 5v5 and Alex had Tobin marked tightly.  It seemed like the forward knew everywhere Tobin planned on going, not losing sight of her.

 

Once Christen performed a little elastico on JJ and got around her right side, she played a cross on the ground with the inside of her left foot. Tobin began to sprint towards the goal, knowing for once she had the brunette beat. Alex knowing she was beat, ran after Tobin, grabbing her jersey and when the brunette started to slip away, Alex gave her a firm push.

 

“Fuck!” Tobin was falling to the ground and she couldn't stop, landing in a patch of “grass” that had been reduced to mud from the rain. She managed to lift her head up before impact to avoid getting any on her face but her uniform down to her cleats was covered in mud.

 

“What the fuck Alex,” Allie yelled storming over.

 

“Don't get up,” Alex yelled down at the midfielder. _Fuck her, she keeps doing this to me._ Despite herself, Tobin got up and got in Alex's face.

 

“You know what, fuck you. You've spent the whole week doing this to me.”

 

“Maybe you should do better or train with the u15s, they might be more your speed.”

 

“Alex.” Christen placed a hand on her shoulder and shot an apologetic look to the girl. “Babe, don't do this.” Tobin could barely hear the _babe_ but she's pretty sure she heard those words. Her heart fell a little but she was more focused on Alex.

 

“You fucking pushed me! Just because you have a senior national team cap you think you're hot stuff. No one gives a fuck. Maybe you should get faster so I don't leave you in my dust. I left you high and dry and you couldn't stand the thought of me beating your sorry ass.”

 

Pain. Tobin felt a lot of pain all of a sudden. Her face was pushed towards the left and she saw the follow through of Alex's hand. Hit her square on the jaw. Pretty impressive if Tobin would admit it. She could be a boxer or something with a left hook like that. Time seemed to slow down completely because before anyone could react, she threw a left hook of her own, putting all of her strength into her left arm. She thought about all those times she missed arm day, not wanting to have a weak punch. When she connected with Alex's face, it felt good for some reason, like all the pent up anger was being released. She felt Alex's nose move slightly like she had lodged it out of place. She went to throw another hook with her right hand but Ashlyn stopped her before she could. Everyone began to pull the two apart.

 

“Dude, calm the fuck down.”

 

“I couldn't just let her get away with that stuff, Ash.”

 

“Yes, but she's still your teammate.”

  


“Oh my God. Fucking hell.”

 

They both looked to see Alex crumpled on the ground clutching her nose. Tobin and Alex shared a stare that rattled Tobin on the inside, but she didn't say anything. It was unusual for Alex to not throw back a retort, especially in this case. Ashlyn lead Tobin to the locker room to clean up before anything else could happen.

 

“Holy shit man. That was crazy.”

 

“She hit me first. It was self defense Ash.”

 

“Self defense my ass. You couldn't wait to lay a hit on Morgan.”

 

“You know me too well, my friend. Fuck there's mud everywhere.” Tobin took off her shirt, shorts, and socks and laid them on the bench.

 

“Hey guys, do you mind? Oh I'm sorry.” The two turned around to see Christen standing there. Tobin's cheeks heated up and she hoped that the dark haired girl didn't notice. She was also very hyper aware of how little clothes she had on at the moment.

 

“Oh no you're ok. I was just leaving Chris.”Ashlyn patted Tobin on the shoulder. “Try to keep it in your pants,” she whispered to Tobin. Ashlyn hurried out of the locker room leaving a confused Christen and an irritated Tobin behind. _Why the fuck did she do that? Ugh._

 

“Tobin, I'm sorry for what Alex did to you. That was uncalled for. She's fiery and sometimes it gets to her head.”

 

“Yeah, I could see that.”

 

“Good news, she doesn't have a broken nose.”

 

“Yay,” she said in a monotone voice.

 

“Haha, don't sound too excited. More importantly, how are you feeling?”

 

“My jaw hurts but it just needs some ice.”

 

“Ok let me get you some.”

 

Tobin tried her best to remain collected. _Holy shit. Christen just saw me in my underwear. It's just like that dream I had the other day, but this is real. Ugh._ Christen came back,  interrupting her inner dialogue.

 

“I'm so sorry. Put this on your jaw. Wait hold on, you have a little mud on your chin.”

 

Christen licked her finger and traced the streak of dried mud on Tobin's chin. If Tobin was hot before, she was a fireball now. The lack of space between the two made Tobin squirm a little and she was pretty sure Christen noticed. Christen looked up into Tobin's eyes and let her eyes linger down her face. Tobin swore Christen looked at her lips and back up into her eyes. This feeling inside that Tobin was feeling was completely new. Was it love or lust? It didn't really matter. She dreamed of kissing _the_ Christen Press and now she finally had a chance to. Christen leaned in.

 

“I have to admit, what you did out there was pretty hot. I'll see you around, Tobin Heath.”

 

 _Are you kidding me?_ Christen sauntered off, swinging her hips seemingly knowing the effect she had on the older girl. _She's as evil as Alex, fuck._ Tobin was all worked up and now she had to cool off, hopping into the shower stall and letting the cold water fall over her body. When she came out of the shower, she shivered from the coldness, dressing quickly to warm up. She was about to exit the locker room when she heard two voices.

  


“Hey Al.”

 

“Chris.”

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

“My nose fucking hurts.” Christen let out her signature laugh.

 

“Yeah, I figured. Poor baby. You know Tobin isn't like that, you provoked this. You need to apologise to her.”

 

“For almost breaking my nose? Oww.” Christen gave the other girl a small pinch on her arm.

 

“I'm serious.”

 

“Fine, I'll do it tomorrow.”

 

“I'm gonna be there so it's a proper apology.”

 

“Alright. I was really out of line. I'm sorry.”

 

“Its ok….I love you.”

 

Christen leaned in and started kissing Alex. She placed her hands on her thighs. Alex put her hands on Christen's hips. The sight was a lot for Tobin to take in, but she couldn't pull her eyes away. Her crush, sweet Christen, was with bitchy Alex. And it hurt her heart.Tobin left the locker room and headed back to her room, where Ashlyn was waiting.

 

“Hey so how'd it go with Chris?” Tobin started rubbing her neck in nervousness.

 

“I uhhhh she's uhh, nothing. Nothing happened.”

 

“Why? She seemed into you.”

 

“Apparently not.”

 

********

 

“I can't believe I forgot about them. They _were_ a thing. That's why she was being such a bitch to me. I broke Chris's heart and it didn't sit well with her. Fuck.”

 

“Really?”

 

“I saw them kissing in the locker room after Chris cleaned me up.”

 

“Wow I didn't know there were actual feelings involved.  I'm sorry bud. But again that was a long time ago. Don't give up.”

 

“Take me to her house.”

 

“Tobin just chill, ok. It's early in the morning. You don't want to scare them . It can wait till later. You need to get some sleep too.”

 

“I hate it when you're right.”

 

“So all the time.” Kelley started the car and started making her way back to Allie's house.

  


* * *

 

 

When Tobin woke up later in the morning, she asked Christen if she could come over for a talk. Tobin took Allie's keys to her Range  Rover and drove herself to her wife's house.

 

“Mornin.”

 

“Good morning. I got Alex to take the kids out for the morning so we can talk.” Tobin internally cringed at hearing her former best friend's name. Christen lead her inside and into the kitchen.

 

“Do you want anything?”

 

“Just a coffee.”

 

“With cream and sugar, right?” Tobin simply nodded her head. Yeah, it was still endearing that Chris knew how she liked her coffee.

 

“I need to tell you the truth,” Christen said as she handed Tobin her coffee and sat down. _Oh god was Kelley right? Did she lie to me?_ “I uhh… remember how I told you me and Alex weren't really a thing. Well we are actually. I'm sorry I lied to you.” Tobin laughed.

 

“I saw you two kissing at the U20 camp. I uhh... you just finished helping me with my jaw. I took a shower and as I came out, I saw you two. So I'm not really surprised when you say that.”

 

“Tobin.”

 

“As much as you loved me throughout the years and vice versa, you've also brought a lot of hurt as well. I never cried as much as I did that night when I got back to the room,and I'd probably cry right now but I don't think that's physically possible anymore. You played with my emotions, you knew I had a crush on you and instead of shutting me down, you played along and I was able to forget about it once we started dating, but I can't let that go anymore.” Tobin took in a deep breath and exhaled. “Do you still love me?”

 

“Of course Tobin…I always will.”

 

“Are you in love with me?”

 

“Tobin you haven't been around…”

 

“Just answer the fucking question.”

 

“...no.”

 

“Are you in love with Alex?”

 

“I don't know Tobin. I really don't.”

 

“You gave up on me… when I needed you the most. I swear, my friends did more to keep me together than you, my wife. What does Alex even have to offer, a good fuck or something?”

 

“Hey, you don't get to comment on our relationship Tobin. It's irrelevant.”

 

“Irrelevant, haha, irrelevant. How is it irrelevant when she's living in my house, interacting with my kids, sleeping in my bed with my _wife.”_ The brunette began to elevate her voice.

 

 _“_ Well maybe you should have thought about that before you decided to abandon us. How did you live with yourself doing what you did,” Christen quipped back, equalling the rise in Tobin's voice.

 

“Cause alcohol was the only thing that would take away all the pain I was going through.”

 

“Tobin, I was just worried about the girls.”

 

“You're really insinuating I would hurt the girls or you? Jesus, Christen. How twisted is that thinking?”

 

“I know you wouldn't Tobin.”

 

“So why did you leave? Listen to me, cause I'm only gonna say this once, for all the borderline verbal abuse you put me through, guess who was willing to stay and fight through it? For all the times you said I was a fucking waste of space and how I didn't deserve a second chance for my career, for all the times that I shut down and needed someone to hold my hand, but no one was there, I stayed but you checked out.” Tobin waited for a response out of the younger one but when she didn't get one she laughed. “I think we can see that neither one of us was innocent in this but the fact that _you_ played the victim card more than me speaks volumes as to who you are….. Have a nice evening Christen.”

 

* * *

 

 

Tobin arrived back home to find an expectant Kelley and Allie waiting in the living room.

  


“So how'd things go stud,” Allie questioned.

 

Tobin took a breath and exhaled loudly. She chuckled.

 

“I think I fucked things up.”


	6. Just Like Old TImes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kelley and Allie convince Tobin to return to national team camp. How will that go?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back?? I'm so sorry guys lol. I was lacking inspiration for a long time and really wanted to put out something I liked for y'all. So thanks for reading. I really appreciate you guys :) (and it's a longer chapter yay lmao)

“Jesus Christ Tobin, what did you do now,” Allie asked.  Tobin grabbed a water from the fridge and preceded to sit at one of the chairs surrounding the kitchen counter. Kelley and Allie walked to the other side of the counter and stared at their friend expectantly.

 

“Ahhh,” she sighed as she looked both of her friends in the eyes. “I just told her what I was feeling, the truth.” The brunette took a sip of water.

 

“And what exactly is the truth,” Kelley questioned.

 

“Just that we both weren't innocent of wrongdoing and that she's caused a lot of hurt for me…. probably didn't do myself any favors.” She sniffled a little. “I just needed to get that off my chest but I probably fucked up my chance of having a life with her again.” A few tears ran down the midfielder’s face, but she wiped them away quickly. The blonde walked next to her best friend and put an arm around Tobin and squeezed her. 

 

“Hey Tobs, we need to get your mind off Chris for a little bit. Maybe you should come to camp with us.”

 

Tobin laughed to herself, forgetting the slight sadness she felt a few moments ago. “You guys do know Christen will be there? Like that's not avoiding the problem, it's…”

 

“...Iike taking it head on,” Kelley said. “I think it's perfect.” Tobin didn’t think it was such a good idea. After what she had said to Christen earlier in the morning, there was no way that things would be normal again. Tobin looked to Allie, who was nodding her head in agreement. She sighed, knowing there was no way out now. Maybe, she could completely avoid Christen during camp. Two weeks together, in close proximity...yeah that’s gonna be easy. Tobin was lost in her thoughts when she suddenly heard Allie talking again.

 

“Camp is coming up in a week. We have two friendlies lined up. I'll talk to the guys and see if we can bring you. It shouldn't be a problem.” Tobin nodded her head, accepting her fate. Usually in the past, she would be anxiously waiting for national team camp. But now, she hoped these next few days would not go by fast. There was also the chance that she wouldn’t be allowed to be with the team, but she wasn’t banking on it. The midfielder situated herself on the couch as her friends were hashing out their plan in the kitchen. She pulled out her phone and opened up the messaging app. Her eyes fell to Christen’s contact. She began typing...

  
  


**_Tobin: Chris…I'm sorry about this morning. I knew what I wanted to say but it didn't come out right. It was uncalled for and I apologize. I still want us to talk._ **

 

It took Tobin about 10 minutes to actually decide to send her text. When the text had sent, she laid her phone on the ground and closed her eyes. She didn’t expect a response anytime soon, so she decided to have a quick nap to take her mind off of things. She quickly drifted into sleep but a notification popped up  soon after.

 

**Christen: Okay Tobs.**

 

//////

 

Tobin had her arm propped against the window as Allie was driving them to downtown Los Angeles for national team camp. She wasn’t listening to the drama that her two friends were engaging in, something that had to do with some of the youngsters. She was getting more and more nervous as Allie yelled “5 minutes”. It had been so long since she ventured around these parts. The car came to a stop and Allie and Kelley started shuffling out of the vehicle. Tobin followed suit, going to the trunk to get her luggage. The midfielder pulled her national team suitcase behind her as she looked towards their home for a week or so. The automatic doors opened once they got closer to the hotel. Once inside, Tobin’s eyes dilated in disbelief at who she saw.

 

“Dawn…” the woman had a soft smile on her face. The brunette walked up to the team trainer and gave her a hug.

 

“Heath…it’s been a while hasn’t it?”

 

“You’re still here.” She chuckled with a hint of disbelief. Dawn chuckled too.

 

“I’m not that old, Heath. You were only gone for a couple years. It’s great to see you again. Anyway, there will be time to catch up. Room assignments…,” Tobin gulped, “You’re gonna be paired with...Alex.” Dawn laughed when she saw the look on Tobin's face. The color had completely drained from her face. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Since you were such a late addition, we just put you in a single.”

 

“Yeah I’m sorry about that…,” she rubbed the back of her neck in slight embarrassment.

 

“No need to apologize. I'll see you later. And welcome back.”

 

///

 

Tobin had just finished unpacking her clothes when she heard a knock on the door. When she opened the door, both of her roommates rushed in past her.

 

“Why don't you please come in,” the brunette quipped. She closed the door and looked at both women who were sprawled out on her bed.

 

“Are you going to the meeting tonight Tobs,” Kelley asked, seeing that Tobin had already changed into her sleep clothes.

 

“Nah, I'll surprise the team tomorrow. I just want to get settled in.” 

 

“Ok well, we got you some food just in case you decided to stay in. We'll be back,” Allie said as she was getting up to leave.

 

“Thanks guys.”

 

Her two friends returned later like they said and they brought more food with them. They just spent their time in Tobin's room gossiping about the younger players.

 

“Did you hear about Tierna,” Allie asked.

 

“Uhm, no I didn't. What happened with my son?” Kelly got a little worried at the mention of her little protégé.

 

“She broke up with her girlfriend.” Kelley mouthed  _ No  _ in disbelief of what her friend was telling her.

 

“She didn't tell me this!”

 

“And best thing yet, she got together with a fan. The girl is a die hard Stanford and women's national team fan.”

 

“Oh my God. I can't believe this.”

 

“Can y'all be more nosy. Jesus,” Tobin interrupted. “And it's getting late, I need to get some sleep.”

 

And with that, she was able to get her friends to leave. Thankfully. Shortly after they had left, she began craving something  sweet from the little convenience store in the lobby.

As she exited her room, she looked up. Brown eyes met gray eyes.

 

“Tobin?!”

 

“Shhhh.” Tobin ushered the dark haired woman into the elevator before anyone else saw them together. 

 

“What are you doing here? Let me guess, one of Allie and Kelley's great plans huh?” 

 

“You know them too well, haha.”

 

The former couple made small talk in the elevator and Tobin was glad that they were able to move on from what happened a week ago, at least for now. They wished each other goodnight and headed their respective ways.

 

//////

 

Tobin finally met the new coach before practice was set to start. She seemed nice enough and from what Kelley and Allie had told her, she was a lot better than their previous coach. It was pretty hot outside, even though it was only 9 in the morning. There was essentially no shade on the field and Tobin could already feel herself sweating.

 

“Ok guys, we're gonna do a 7v7, while the rest of you do some small drills with Dawn.” 

 

The brunette didn't actually believe she would take part in the practice, thinking she would just be an observer for now. Turned out, Christen and Tobin were on the same team and Alex was on the other team for the scrimmage.  Tobin was absolutely terrified for the scrimmage. She hadn’t kicked a ball in years. Her leg was better but she still felt like it wasn’t 100%. All of a sudden, she felt like someone was watching her. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Alex eyeing her down as coach was giving instructions.  To say it made Tobin uncomfortable was an understatement. Tobin knew the game Alex was playing and in some way, she couldn’t blame her. She deserved it to an extent. Once coach was finished giving instructions, the players broke off into their teams. Everyone came up to Tobin, giving her hugs and welcomed her back. As she went to get a penny, she was observing the interactions of Alex and Christen. As she was picking up a penny, she began listening in on their conversation. 

 

“Hey,” Alex said as she grabbed Christen by the elbow. Christen looked at her.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing, just good luck.” Alex leaned in and gave a small peck on Christen’s lips. She had a small smile on her face. If Tobin wasn’t mistaken, by Christen’s body language, she seemed to tense up a bit. Tobin thought it might have to do with the fact that good luck kisses were their thing and now she was doing it in front of Tobin with someone else. Alex was really pushing this game she was playing with Tobin to another level. But the midfielder wasn’t gonna break easily and give Alex the satisfaction of knowing it’s affecting her. Alex pecked Christen on the cheek and moved towards Tobin.

 

“Good luck Tobin. You’re gonna need it.”  _ Just like old times, she thought. _

 

Tobin felt a little bit better with the initial warm up. Getting small touches on the ball helped her feel better with the ball at her feet. Before the scrimmage started, Tobin looked over to Christen, who winked in response, causing her to smirk. Now she was feeling more ready than before. For the first 10 minutes or so, she made a lot of conservative passes and gauging how her teammates worked around her. They were still the same teammates from a couple years ago, but a lot could have changed. Once she got into the flow of the scrimmage, she began taking a few players on, JJ and Tierna in particular. More often than not they would keep her at bay forcing her to make a pass. She was a little behind the pace but was shocked at what she was doing at the moment. She never thought she would be here again. She slipped a few passes in for Kelley, Christen, and Savannah and was content with playing provider. She had a few shots on goal and a couple did roll in. Sure the goals didn't really mean anything but it meant a lot to Tobin. The brunette was a little shocked that Alex wasn't on her after the little display she put on earlier. So when she saw Alex approaching her, she smirked. Alex got close but was still keeping a small distance between them.

 

“C'mon and get it Alex” Tobin taunted as she put her sole on top of the ball. She looked directly in her eyes.

 

“You'll regret that.” Alex retorted back, lounging at Tobin who pushed the ball to right side and started dribbling. Alex caught back up to her and began harassing her, grabbing her and pulling her jersey. Their teammates just watched the both of them hash it out knowing the underlying meaning behind it. Tobin kept doing little pullbacks and drags to avoid Alex from getting the ball. She could see the forward’s frustration and her confidence kept growing.  _ Just like old times indeed. _ She heard Alex mutter  _ fuck _ under her breath and realized how annoyed her former friend was. Alex took a swipe at Tobin, going completely to ground and swinging her left leg across her body. Tobin realized what she was doing and grabbed the ball using her ankles and jumped over the swinging leg. Tobin could hear the oohs and ahhs of her teammates which only convinced her to continue playing with Alex. The forward got back on her feet and looked Tobin in the eye.

 

“You really haven't changed have you,” she chuckled. Tobin chuckled too.

 

“I guess not.” Tobin began doing some sole rolls and stepovers trying to throw the forward off balance. As she rolled the ball with her right foot she could feel that Alex was gonna stick her foot in at any moment. She rolled the ball again, this time a little too much, or so she made it look like she rolled it too much. Alex took the bait stepping in with her left foot, but she didn't make contact with the ball. She watched as Tobin skillfully toe-poked the ball through her legs and ran around her to continue dribbling. She just sighed and sat down on the ground. Tobin looked back smiling at her work. She still had it. 

 

“Ok ladies that's enough. Let's take a break.”

 

Tobin was headed to the water cooler when she saw Alex standing in front of her with her hand stretched out. She looked at her hand and then up to Alex's face.

 

“Good job. You beat me. Fair and square.” Tobin grabbed her hand and shook it.

 

“Thanks. You were good out there.”

 

“Thanks. Oh and welcome back.” She said while not looking at Tobin. Tobin smiled.  _ She's still a little shit. She hasn't changed that much either.  _

 

“Thanks Alex. That means a lot coming from you.”

 

//////

 

Tobin was sitting down around the penalty spot looking at the back netting of the goal. It really had been a long time since she was last on a soccer field and she wasn't in a hurry to leave. It was probably close to midnight or something, she had lost track of time. She was startled when she heard a soft voice talking.

 

“Aaron said we have about 30 minutes before the workers have to close up the stadium.” 

 

Christen came over to Tobin's spot, sitting down next to her, with her legs crossed. Tobin was in complete shock. She was starting to get nervous again.  She didn't expect to be alone with Christen twice within a couple days of camp starting. They sat in silence for a few minutes, looking towards the goal. Tobin spoke first.

 

“Christen, I really am sorry for the what I said. It was uncalled for...” The dark hair woman put a finger to the midfielder's lips.

 

“Tobin, you don't need to keep apologizing. You're not the one who should be sorry.” Christen looked down at the ground, away from Tobin's gaze.

 

“Chris…”

 

“Everything you said was true. Everything. I've been a horrible wife.” Tobin was about to speak up when Chris shushed her.

 

“Please Tobin. You were able to speak your mind and now I have to.” The brunette nodded, eager to hear  what Christen had to say. “I just gave up on you. I did nothing to help. I made things worse. I promised to always be by your side, no matter what and I failed you. And worse of all I took Lil and Sof away from you. There were too many nights when Sof asked when mom was coming back. I had to tell her you probably weren't coming back and I've never seen anything worse than my own daughter crying over the fact that her mother may never...” Christen was starting to get choked up on her words, not being able to finish her sentence. Tobin put a reassuring arm around her and Christen for once relaxed in Tobin's presence. 

 

“Chris, you did so well with Sof and Lil. They're beautiful little girls. Don't ever think you were a bad mom, even for a second.” Christen snuggled into Tobin more.

 

“I just want you to know that I'm so sorry for any hurt I've caused to you. You didn't deserve it.” Christen looked up into Tobin's eyes. The brunette gave a soft smile.

 

“And I'm sorry for any hurt I caused you as well. Well there, we both got our feelings out,” she sighed in relief.

 

“Is it really that simple Tobs?” Tobin laughed.

 

“It doesn't have to be complicated Chris. We both went through a lot. Let's just end all the hurt.”

 

“Ok, you're right.”

 

“So can we be...friends again. I understand if you don't.” Tobin rubbed her neck and avoided Christen’s eyes.

 

“Of course I do Tobs. I'd love that. I wanted to fix us for the longest while. I couldn't  believe when you showed up to my door at 3 in the morning. It was a miracle.” The forward snuggled further into Tobin, nuzzling into her neck. “Not gonna lie, I missed this,” Christen pondered  aloud. “You make me feel safe Tobin.” Tobin was very tempted to kiss Christen's forehead but knew she couldn't.

 

“I hate to kill the mood but when did you and Alex start dating?” It was question that was burning inside her and she couldn't go on not knowing.

 

“Well...we had a thing when we were younger. Like when we were 18, 19.  But this time around, it was the last world cup. I don't know, there's just something about Alex. She's fierce, independent, and a badass soccer player at that.” Christen smiled to herself.

 

“Fierce, independent, badass soccer players seem to be your type.” Tobin gave her the biggest smile and wink, causing both of them to laugh. The dark haired woman lightly elbowed the woman next to her.

 

“You're right. Anyway what have you been up to stud?” Tobin laughed.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“You're telling me the great Tobin Heath doesn't have a girlfriend.” Tobin shook her head. “Why?”

 

“I was too hung up on you.” Christen blushed furiously, turning her head away and Tobin smiled to herself.

 

“C'mon it's time to get back to the hotel. We need to get some sleep.” The midfielder tried to pull Christen up but was suddenly pulled down on top of the forward. Christen looked at her with devilish eyes and Tobin smirked. 

 

“You call me charming but look at you.” There was only a few inches between the two women and Tobin was get turned on if she was being honest with herself. It had been awhile since she had been intimate. Being this close to Christen was making all of her memories flood back. She leaned in and when she got close enough, Christen turned her face so Tobin's kiss met her cheek. Tobin laid completely on top of Christen and laughed.

 

“God woman, why do you like to tease me?”

 

“I'm sorry Tobin. I shouldn't have done that, not now.” The duo finally got to their feet and started walking to the tunnel.

  
  


“I think you need to rethink that early retirement status you have Tobin. Just seeing you in practice was amazing,” Christen teased bringing a smile to Tobin’s face.

 

“I'm still a step behind I believe. And I'm not even in shape like y'all are.”

 

“That can be easily fixed. Just getting some more cardio and you'll be back to your old self.”

 

A beat.

 

“Also why did you have to do that Alex earlier today? Like the disrespect…,” Christen said sarcastically.

 

“She has to respect my skills. I just showed her that I'm not too rusty.” They continued talking all the way to the hotel. Tobin was grateful that they were on better terms and could work back to their old relationship, one step at a time though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr: tobito--17


End file.
